1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H10-162888 discloses a connector with two housing units to be laminated together. Each housing unit includes a resilient locking lance for locking a terminal fitting. The locking lance is arranged so that the back surface of the locking lance is exposed on an outer surface of the housing unit. When the two housing units are laminated together, the locking lances exposed on the outer surfaces of the housing units are held in back-to-back contact with each other to restrain mutual resilient displacements thereby firmly retaining a locked state of the terminal. Each laminating/engaging piece maintains a coupled state of the housing units by engaging a hook portion on the tip with an engaging groove provided on the other housing unit.
Information on a mating housing as a connection partner of the housing units is not indicated at all in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. H10-162888. However, the mating housing must include a receptacle into which the housing units are to be fit collectively, and each laminating/engaging piece will enter the receptacle at the time of connection. Thus, it is difficult for an operator to perform a connecting operation to the mating housing while placing his fingers on the laminating/engaging pieces paired on the opposite side surfaces of the housing unit. As a result, structures for placing fingers must be ensured separately from the laminating/engaging pieces on the opposite side surfaces of the housing unit, and may complicate the structure.
The present invention was completed based on the above situation and aims to provide a connector that is structurally less complicated.